Pesticidal activity of indian medicinal plants against red flour beetle tribolium castaneum (herbst, 1797) (coleoptera: tenebrionidae)

Tribolium castaneum is a very important insect pest of food grains and stored grain products. These stored commodities are vulnerable to insects attack and the quality of food is deteriorated. It is necessary to conserve the stored food grains reserves so that the supply foods remain continuous and the prices of food grains and derived products remain stable. The present experiments were carried out in the ovicidal activity of Indian medicinal plants, Plumbago zeylanica, Solanum xanthocarpum, Tribulus terrestris and Gloriosa superba against Tribolium castaneum. The effects of these plant extracts on percent mortality were recorded at different concentration of plants extracts ranging from 50 to 800ppm. The maximum ovicidal activity was recorded in Plumbago zeylanica methanol extract and followed by ethyl acetate and chloroform respectively. Results also indicate a definite potential of these extracts towards incorporation of these extracts in pest management programs and towards optimizing food security through utilizing them as bio-pesticides.